The Noisy Operating System Has Been Patented by Microsoft
from the turn-your-damn-OS-down! dept
theodp writes "Ever wish pond-like ripples could emanate from your emailbox and gradually dissipate when a new email message arrives? Perhaps not, but Microsoft felt the concept was patent-worthy and the USPTO has agreed, granting U.S. patent no. 6,931,601 Tuesday for a Noisy operating system user interface." Again, you have to wonder why this is patentable? It's the sort of thing that seems pointless. If anyone thought about it, they could create it themselves. Instead of patenting it, why not just bring it to market and see if anyone wanted it?
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Sort of like the ripple effect in Dashboard? by Jeff on Aug 17th, 2005 @ 9:55am
I guess Microsoft really digs all the new features of OS X Tiger.
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MS also patented the iPod by Anonymous Coward on Aug 17th, 2005 @ 10:02am
i'm suprised techdirt hasn't beaten this one to death yet - you guys looooove IP stories.
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=4d51ba92-b1ab-41df-888b-54ad2 94071fb
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Re: MS also patented the iPod by Adam Szymczak on Aug 17th, 2005 @ 11:32am
IP protection has been swinging in one direction - towards holders of IP. How many Disney movies were based on material available in the public domain? Yet, no one is able to base material on Disney material (more so after the Sonny Bono law passed extending copyright even more - all to prevent Steamboat Willie from entering the public domain). The patent system is in disarray. You have companies that are nothing more than holding companies shaking down other companies for money. When the mafia did that, it was illegal. When an IP company does it, the politicians play innocent.
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Questions by DGK12 on Aug 17th, 2005 @ 12:24pm
I just love these kinds of things. Ever since patenting software became the industry standard (when?), all sorts of concepts have become patternable... as If.
I really must wonder though, has Microsoft (or Sony for that matter) actually made anything that makes use of the material in these pattens? Or are they just hiring people to come up with superfluous ideas (probably based on some book or movie) to patten, just waiting and hoping someone will develop something that hits on the patten (see the iPod Controversy).
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Re: Questions by Mark on Aug 17th, 2005 @ 1:35pm
"Or are they just hiring people to come up with superfluous ideas (probably based on some book or movie) to patten, just waiting and hoping someone will develop something that hits on the patten (see the iPod Controversy)."
That's not quite what happened there -- MS filed their patent on an iPod-style interface AFTER the iPod had already come to market. It's the perfect case of prior art ... which no doubt means that the patent will stand up in court. Everything else to do with patents comes straight out of Bizarro World, why not that?
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I hope Microsoft didn't patent... by nonuser on Aug 17th, 2005 @ 5:02pm
the Woefully Insecure Operating System. Then everytime a CERT advisory came out, their lawyers would come a-callin'.
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No Subject Given by Tim on Aug 18th, 2005 @ 4:44am
> why not just bring it to market and see if anyone wanted it?
They probably see the USPTO as part of the market. :P
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